US President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday denied allegations that he “ceded the presidency” to Elon Musk, who played an important role in Trump’s transition to the White House.
Trump made the remarks during a speech in Arizona, after Musk was implicated in obstructing a budget bill negotiated in Congress. The owner of Tesla and SpaceX joined Trump in opposing the bill, sparking criticism from Democrats and members of the Republican Party.
Addressing the criticism, Trump praised Musk but made clear: “No, he’s not going to be president.” He also described the proposal to cede the presidency to Musk as “another hoax” by political opponents.
Trump joked that Musk could not become president because he was born outside the United States, saying: “Do you know why he can’t be (president)?” “He was not born in this country.”
Musk, who supported Trump during the election and contributed $200 million to a pro-Trump political action committee, has been appointed to lead the proposed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Intended as an independent advisory committee, the department aims to reduce federal government spending, although its scope remains unclear.
Trump’s comments came a day after outgoing President Joe Biden signed a funding bill to avert a government shutdown. Trump opposed an earlier bill negotiated in Congress, criticizing its failure to raise the debt ceiling.
Musk also opposed the bill, taking to social media to pledge support for primary challenges against lawmakers who support the original legislation. House Speaker Mike Johnson confirmed discussions with both Trump and Musk during the renegotiation process.
The final funding bill, which runs through March 14, repealed provisions that Trump and Musk opposed, but did not address the debt ceiling.
Republican lawmaker Rich McCormick commented that Musk’s intervention demonstrated his influence, while Representative Tony Gonzalez likened Musk to a “prime minister.” Senator Bill Hagerty defended Musk’s participation in the negotiations, rejecting allegations that the billionaire was influencing Trump’s decisions.
Musk’s involvement in Trump’s transition extended to international matters as well. He was present during Trump’s calls with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
Memes on social media depicting Trump as a follower of Musk have drawn criticism from Democrats.
Some lawmakers have raised concerns about Musk’s influence, especially after a provision in the original budget bill that could have affected his business operations in China was removed. Representative Rosa DeLauro called the move “deeply troubling” in a letter to congressional leaders, highlighting concerns about Musk’s influence on American politics.